All Saints Guessing Jars {8 More Saints!}

Our annual All Saints Guessing Jars are filled and ready for the party tomorrow night! This year I decide to re-use some of our past ideas/labels (there are now so many to choose from!) adding in some new ones to the mix. You can click the link to download the free printable for this year's new labels at the bottom of this post! 

Trader Joe's was my first stop for supplies. I love that they don't use artificial dyes and have such fun snacks! I picked up Petite Pumpkin Spice Cookies, Pinks & Whites, Fleur de Sea Caramels, Chocolatey Cats Cookies, Scandinavian Swimmers, Organic Animal Crackers, and Cinnamon Schoolbook Cookies. 

I also got some carving pumpkins for Saint-O-Lanterns!

Instead of reusing the Cat Cookies for St. Jerome, I made up a new label for St. Gertrude of Nivelles, Patron of Cats.  Instead of using the animal crackers for St. Francis of Assisi again, they are now "wild beasts" for Its. Perpetual and Felicity. 

I always enjoy browsing candy isles at the grocery store to see what else I can come up with for new ways to connect candy to the saints. 

Dragon's Teeth Candy Corn?! Perfect for St. George. In the past we have used Hot Tamales. 

Now that Christmas stuff is available so early, I had even more options! As soon as I saw the Kissmas Tree Hershey Kisses I thought they would be perfect for St. Boniface, recalling the picture book Kristoph and the First Christmas Tree (included in our 2015 New Christmas Books for the Feast of St. Nicholas). 

 

I also had someone email me asking if I had any ideas for St. Sebastian (along with a couple other saints), and I had been planning to include him this year with Super Sports Chocolate Candy, since he is the Patron of Athletes!

I love how these three jars turned out. So fun!

I never did pick up Dove chocolates for St. Teresa of Avila, but a label is included in the new printable for this year. 

I also included labels for St. Teresa of Calcutta (any white and blue striped candy would work like these, these or these) and St. Maria Faustina (I think these could work for "Rays of Mercy"). 

You can download this year's printable labels here. 

Find links to more of my FREE All Saints Printables here.

All Saints Guessing Jars {Dye-Free Edition}

I'm currently working on a few new additions for this year's All Saints Guessing Jars, but I recently realized that I never did share the new additions from a couple years ago! I'm going to quickly share them now in case anyone would like some new ideas. 

That year (2017) we had a smaller, mostly family party, since we had such a difficult baby at the time, and I focused on jars featuring our three newly confirmed teens' Confirmation Saints - St. Maximilian Kolbe, St. Augustine, and St. Elizabeth of Hungary. We also have a teen with an artificial dye allergy, so I included some dye free options. I never did get around to making any last year, since the movers were unloading the truck at our new home on October 31st! 

Gummy Soda Bottles are perfect for St. Augustine, patron of brewers!

*I can't remember if these were dye free or not... 

 For St. Maximilan Kolbe we used Fudge Stripes. 

This jar filled with Sun Drops Milk Chocolates (from the Health Food store) commemorating the 100th Anniversary of Our Lady of Fatima and the Miracle of the Sun. 

Wooden Saints from Naturally Catholic!

*Naturally Catholic is closing shop soon for the season, 

so order now if you'd like any Christmas gifts!

Petite Pumpkin Spice Cookies from Trader Joe's for St. Fiacre

Organic Delish Fish for St. Andrew

Andes Mints for St. Teresa of the Andes

*these do include dye... 

Milky Way Midnight Minis for St. Dominic, patron of astronomers

Download my free printable jar labels here: 
All Saints Guessing Jars 2017

I'll be back with a few more new additions soon... 

Find links to more of my All Saints Party Printables here!

A Dr. Seuss Birthday Cake for Father Gordon

This past weekend we celebrated my husband's youngest brother's birthday! This is the first time the kids and I have ever lived close enough to celebrate his birthday with him so we were all excited when he agreed to come over for dinner! I sent him a text message the week before asking if he had any special requests.... 

I texted the boys a screenshot at college and they agreed: 

"Hahaha you could pull it off" 

Well... okay then! 

#ChallengeAccepted

A Few Supplies: 

• Printed out image of Ga-Zair by Dr. Suess
• Wax Paper
• Pink, Blue, Black and White Candy Melts
• Toothpick

I printed out the image on a sheet of 8x11 paper and covered it with some wax paper. 

Starting with some black candy melts, I outlined the buildings, windows, stairs, and bridges. 

Next I mixed a little of the black candy melts into some white to create various shades of gray for the stairs and filled them in with melted candy. 

Next I added the blue to some of the roofs, buildings, and the bridge, making sure to make it thick enough to not break apart too easily.

The last color I added was all the pink, filling in all the remaining gaps and covering it all with extra to hold it together. At this point I slipped it into the fridge and had no idea if it was going to turn out or not... 

It turned out! 

When Father arrived, he apologized for being late and I said, "Oh, that's ok! It gave me time to finish your cake!" He laughed and said he had to come up with something impossible for me... but then looked towards the kitchen, spotted the cake and said "What?! You actually MADE IT!" 

Why yes... Yes I did!

He liked my little addition of the church as well, noticing the cross on the largest building. 

  

Happy Birthday Father Gordon!

St. Francis of Assisi's Sermon to the Birds

"And as he went on his way, with great fervour, St Francis lifted up his eyes, and saw on some trees by the wayside a great multitude of birds; and being much surprised, he said to his companions, "Wait for me here by the way, whilst I go and preach to my little sisters the birds"; and entering into the field, he began to preach to the birds which were on the ground, and suddenly all those also on the trees came round him, and all listened while St Francis preached to them, and did not fly away until he had given them his blessing.

And Brother Masseo related afterwards to Brother James of Massa how St Francis went among them and even touched them with his garments, and how none of them moved. Now the substance of the sermon was this:

"My little sisters the birds, ye owe much to God, your Creator, and ye ought to sing his praise at all times and in all places, because he has given you liberty to fly about into all places; and though ye neither spin nor sew, he has given you a twofold and a threefold clothing for yourselves and for your offspring. Two of all your species he sent into the Ark with Noe that you might not be lost to the world; besides which, he feeds you, though ye neither sow nor reap. He has given you fountains and rivers to quench your thirst, mountains and valleys in which to take refuge, and trees in which to build your nests; so that your Creator loves you much, having thus favoured you with such bounties. Beware, my little sisters, of the sin of ingratitude, and study always to give praise to God."

As he said these words, all the birds began to open their beaks, to stretch their necks, to spread their wings and reverently to bow their heads to the ground, endeavouring by their motions and by their songs to manifest their joy to St Francis. And the saint rejoiced with them. He wondered to see such a multitude of birds, and was charmed with their beautiful variety, with their attention and familiarity, for all which he devoutly gave thanks to the Creator. 

Having finished his sermon, St Francis made the sign of the cross, and gave them leave to fly away. Then all those birds rose up into the air, singing most sweetly; and, following the sign of the cross, which St Francis had made, they divided themselves into four companies. One company flew towards the east, another towards the west, one towards the south, and one towards the north; each company as it went singing most wonderfully; signifying thereby, that as St Francis, the bearer of the Cross of Christ, had preached to them and made upon them the sign of the cross, after which they had divided among themselves the four parts of the world, so the preaching of the Cross of Christ, renewed by St Francis, would be carried by him and by his brethren over all the world, and that the humble friars, like little birds, should posses nothing in this world, but should cast all the care of their lives on the providence of God."

- Excerpt from The Little Flowers of St. Francis

The First English Translation, Revised and Emended by Dom Roger Hudleston. Source

The wooden trees and figures pictured (excluding our St. Francis from Catholic Folk Toys) are all made by Ostheimer. I purchased the Bird Tree, along with a couple birds, from The Wooden Wagon for our daughter's birthday a couple years ago and the tooth fairy has been adding additional birds, one at a time, to her collection ever since!

More posts for the feast of St. Francis of Assisi can be found in the archives.

St. Francis of Assisi, pray for us!

Michaelmas Daybook

St. Gabriel, St. Michael, and St. Raphael from Naturally Catholic

Outside my window...
It snowed yesterday, last night, and is snowing again today... I've been told that this is not normal for up here in Northern Idaho and I'm hoping we have some warmer days ahead. I'm not ready for winter yet! The picture below is the view from some of our back windows looking out at the horse pastures. Our property ends at the white fence but we've been admiring all the fall colors on our neighbor's beautiful trees!

I am thankful... 
My mom just had another MRI this past week and there has been no measurable growth on her acoustic neuroma tumor this past year which means she can continue to wait/watch and postpone brain surgery! Such wonderful news!! Deo Gratias!

I am thinking...
I can't believe it has been nearly a year since we signed papers (October 1st), took possession (October 8th) and moved in (October 31st) to this home... and yet so much has changed!

Celebrating the liturgical year...
Michaelmas, St. Jerome, St. Therese, Holy Guardian Angels, St. Francis of Assisi...
So many favorite feast days coming up this week!

From the kitchen...
our annual Michaelmas Cupcakes.

I am working...
on setting up my new laptop! My old laptop was starting to have problems, not to mention the hard drive had been completely full for the past year (I had to go through and sort/delete photos every time I wanted to try and upload more) so maybe now it will be a little easier to blog a little more often? We'll see!

I am creating...
a list of posts that I'd like to go back and add eventually, starting with some recent sacraments and past birthday parties. This blog has always been a family scrapbook of sorts and our kids love going back and looking through the archives.  Bud isn't happy that I've only blogged his first three (of seven) birthdays!

I am going...
out for a quick coffee date with Sean. We didn't get to stay long since the coffee shop was closing in "seven minutes" but it worked out for the best since the baby was cranky by the time we got home. The girls mentioned that it happens to be National Coffee Day!

 

I am hoping...
to continue recovering from this postpartum depression and start feeling like myself again. I've been making some progress and doing a little better than I was a couple weeks ago. Did you know that wearing your baby may help alleviate postpartum depression? I'm not sure if it does or not, but the baby sure loves being tucked into my Moby Wrap.

Pondering these words…
from St. Frances de Sales:

“The many troubles in your household will tend to your edification, if you strive to bear them all in gentleness, patience, and kindness. Keep this ever before you, and remember constantly that God's loving eyes are upon you amid all these little worries and vexations, watching whether you take them as He would desire. Offer up all such occasions to Him, and if sometimes you are put out, and give way to impatience, do not be discouraged, but make haste to regain your lost composure.”

I am praying...
for the soul of my mother-in-law, for Veronica Cools, for the Hatkes, and for so many others in need of prayer.

I am reading…
a chapter or two from Little House in the Big Woods to my little ones each night after we pray our family rosary. I had been neglecting reading aloud to them this past year and it's nice to be doing it again.

One of my favorite things...
Captain's Instagram stories, Ranger's late night phone calls home, and our family group texting string! We are all counting the days until they come home for a visit.

Around the house... and a little peek at my day... 
I keep spotting St. Michael!

Illuminated Ink Archangel Blank Book from last month's Saints Around the World Box

Just getting started... 

St. Michael Keepsake Box (one of Bud's recent First Holy Communion Gifts from friends!) 

St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle; be our safeguard against the wickedness and snares of the Devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do Thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the power of God, cast into Hell, Satan and all the other evil spirits, who wander throughout the world, seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.